Christmas at Bloomies
I’d like to get back to posting here, Facebook’s facile & more and more, I don’t know why I bother. Sure could use some dope. Guy next to me just sat down and his parka reeks of it. Jen’s at an open call for Bloomie’s a couple blocks away. I’m at the Subway Inn, which has moved. It had the hold on husbands furtive, useless while their wives shopped across the street. Took me ten minutes to find a men’s room, which is fine because Bloomingdale’s was merry, well-apportioned as it’s ever been. I felt way uncomfortable tho’ the store was not crowded, and the salespeople were friendly and sharp. I was a guy in New York City who could shop at Bloomie’s if he wanted to, I’d earned that working as hard as I could doing good, if you think 9-1-1 Emergency, voicemail and Caller ID were good things. I don’t know what to do. I’m capable, with little effort of acing any job I apply for. I can say that, I’ve had careers as a product manager, new product developer, communications officer, State Department liaison, research fellow, IT planner and business analyst. Been applying to as many jobs as I can this year, broke my back in 2010 landscaping --it was a job, stayed in bad pain since although last Friday, after 25+ tries with three different doctors, was able to shut off 60% of the pain. I could work now, but they have to call me in first, bias against white men over 55 has to lose to my abilities, bias for underprivileged victims of discrimination like black people, Hispanics, native Americans, Pacific Islanders and members of two or more of these groups has to count less to someone than outperforming every boss I’ve ever had at her/his job but U see no hope. Because not one company has called me in for an interview in 2018. All I can do is apply. I’ve worked the connections I have, all people who know well what U can do or saw it done working with me. They’ve talked. Promised. Most senior woman, “this is a standing offer, John,” (VP of Marketing or VP Operations) won’t return emails, letters. Mom’s old friend, richest one, was to ask her replacement as Chairwoman of the American Foundation on Aging about a position for me, that was in August, her schedule just has not allowed that lunch. My HS friend, I was his best man, I’n godfather to his firstborn I swear thinks it’s funny. That I can’t get a job, he’s set for life because he never got laid off, as I did he’s close to who I would have been. Asked him two weeks ago to make one call to Pfizer, just get me an interview. Get me past the political garbage, just let me talk to them. Kept not remembering it, bragging about a competitor picking him up (GSK) after he retired from Merck. He kept on and on not remembering or caring that I’d asked him for help until I had no choice, “Jesus Christ just ask your colleague, Pfizer girl you’ve worked with for years just ask her to call HR and give me one interview. One phone call! No offense, anyone reading this but human beings make me sick. I hate them. My Dad and I haven’t always gotten along. If he had to fire a guy, he got on the phone in front of them, called his competitors said Jesus is this your lucky day, one of my top guys is on the market, you S.O.B. you’re an idiot, a MORON if you don’t snap him up. My “best friend” is an enemy. Jen has difficulty understanding this. Jeff is a lobbyist. He’s been corrupted, a Sophist, one thousand ways to suggest support without commitment. But this is my life. This is eating.